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Temporary Car Insurance

Temporary Car Insurance

To be a responsible and legal driver you need to buy temporary car insurance during any lapse in standard coverage.

Temporary auto insurance coverage is an important coverage option that many people may not know about. This page will answer all of the questions you may have about temporary auto insurance coverage so you can make an informed coverage decision.

So when might a driver need this kind of insurance policy?

You have a car in the shop for repair and need to borrow a friend’s vehicle.

You are trying to buy a new or used car but cannot find one. In the meantime, you are using someone else’s vehicle that is not registered in your name.

If someone uses your car and you want to make sure they are covered in addition to their own temporary car insurance policy.

You could be helping a friend move a car or multiple cars but need to be sure you are covered for this.

For rental cars, it could be a good idea to buy temporary car insurance.

If you use a moving van and want to make sure you are insured behind the wheel this could be good additional coverage.

If you are selling a car you don’t drive but want it insured for other people test driving it, this could be a good option.

If you drive for work and need coverage until you can verify the company policy coverage fully includes you as a driver.

Even if you are between insurance policies or are storing a vehicle and driving it very little, but want to make sure your insurance doesn’t lapse, then temporary auto insurance could be right for you.

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There are other names for temporary car insurance and even other forms of temporary coverage.

Non-owners is a popular choice for those who will be using another driver’s vehicle on a more regular basis. Rental car insurance is also an option for short term, long term, or regular rental car usage.

Should You Buy Temporary Car Insurance?

The bottom line is that you should never be without some kind of auto insurance to reamin legal as well as financially protected. Why is temporary auto insurance so important?

Every state but New Hampshire (they require personal responsibility) requires drivers to carry auto insurance to be on the road legally (Virginia also has some special conditions). If you are caught driving without auto insurance you could be facing hefty fines and points against your driver’s license.

Not to mention that because of this when you go to get an insurance policy your rates will be higher because of the legal infractions.

No driver should allow a lapse in their insurance coverage of more than 30 days. This kind of lapse will cause your rates to be much higher when you do go to finally get a regular insurance policy, even a basic liability one. By buying temporary auto insurance, you will protect yourself from this kind of problem.

If you have an accident while driving without some kind of car insurance, the legal and financial ramifications could be extremely costly. If you even buy temporary car insurance, you can protect yourself from a large percentage of the car repair or replacement costs, not to mention the medical expenses.

Medical bills alone can include prolonged hospital stays, surgery, expensive prescriptions, and follow up after care such as physical therapy. This could be something you would have to pay for yourself, another driver or both out of your own pocket if you lack insurance coverage.

Remember even if you think you are covered by your friend, spouse, or employer’s policy do not wait to find out the hard way that you are not. In the event of an accident, if you are driving without insurance you will be held liable.

A large percentage of drivers each year get left picking up the pieces in the aftermath all because they thought they were covered as a driver. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix this situation after an accident.

What Else You Should Know

If you think you might buy temporary auto insurance coverage there are a few other things you should know. For example:

Commonly, temporary insurance policies are taken out for anywhere from one to 28 days. A very popular option is the seven day car insurance policy. You can extend this longer. You should have a temporary policy for however long you need to make sure you are an insured motorist.

There are different options for your temporary policy. Make sure you get the one that works best for you, not just the cheapest or the one an insurance agent decides you should have.

Keep in mind if you are driving a car of higher value you should never settle for too basic of an insurance policy. Repairs will cost more and you are going to be left paying the difference out of your own pocket anyway.

Consider what you will be using your car for during this temporary period and make sure you are covered for things like collisions with other vehicles and structures, as well as animals.

With that in mind, make sure you also have protection from things like theft, fire, storms and acts of God. Too many drivers assume this is part of their standard coverage and it is not. Even vandalism can be covered in a temporary auto insurance policy but only if you make sure it is included.

You may even want or need to have a policy that could offer coverage in the event of a breakdown. It could be helpful if you are using or sharing another person’s car, or if you need coverage for your rental car.

All it takes is your zip code and you could find out the cheapest way to buy temporary car insurance.